<div><p>Is there a more polarizing flavor on the planet than black licorice? </p><p>You either love it, or you hate it. Generally, your preference on black licorice depends on your age. Typically people who are currently 60+ seem to really enjoy black licorice, while the younger generations are more against it. </p><p>Most people attribute it to your tastes getting older, but did you know it actually has to do with science?</p><p>"People either love it or hate it and, as far as I can tell, it's not a learned like or dislike," says <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/health/why-do-so-many-us-hate-black-licorice-few-theories-963738">Marcia Pelchat</a>, an associate member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, a nonprofit center, which researches taste and smell. I don't know a specific gene that is associated with liking and disliking licorice. [But] it does seem to be something that people are born with."</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/475320980_XS.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/475320980_XS_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/475320980_XS_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Livestrong</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p></p><p>So what is it that makes it genetic? Find out on the next page!</p><p></p><p></p><p>As with most things, there are lot of genes that play into how we perceive taste. There are a few different things in licorice that could end up being the root cause of our dislike. </p><p><strong>Glycyrrhizin: </strong>a natural sweetener in licorice root, which can taste like saccahrin (the same sweetener found in Sween 'n' Low)</p><p><strong>Anethole: </strong>an aromatic that appears in anise and fennel which plays on your sense of smell</p><p>"What this suggests to me is maybe liking and disliking licorice is related to liking and disliking saccharin," Pelchat says.</p><p>So if you don't like black licorice, it's just science-based. Not you being picky like your mom or grandmother might tell you!</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/black-licorice.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Mommyish</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>